Garment hanger



zmw

F. E. FRENCH GARMENT HANGER Filed March 1, 1947 Fig.3.

Fig.1.

Shaman Patented .lan. El, 193%? earner ,natssi 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment hanger, and particularly to a hangerfor holding trousers. An object of the invention is the provision of agenerally improved and more satisfactory hanger of this type.

Another ohj eot of the invention is the provision of a hanger which issimple and inexpensive to construct, efiective in use, and not likely toget out of order.

Still another object is the provision of a hanger which, when not inuse, occupies a relatively small space.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hanger forhanging trousers easily and effectively in an upright position, from thewaist, rather than hanging them in the usual inverted or partly invertedposition.

A still further object is the provision of a collapsiole trousers hangerefiective to hold the trousers from the waist band in such a positionthat the intended creases running lengthwise oi the legs of the trousersare maintained, but no additional or undesired creases are formed in thetrousers.

These and other desirable objects are accomplished by the constructiondisclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings {arming a hereof,in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hanger in accord.- ance with a preferredembodiment of the invention, in collapsed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same in partially extended position;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, with parts in section on the line3-4. of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line fi--5 of Fig. 4,illustrating also a fragment of a pair of trousers held by the hanger.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

, In the garment hanger illustrated in the accompanying drawings, theconstruction is made of wire, and is collapsible to the position shownin Fig. l and extensible to the position shown in Fig. 2, it beingpossible to extend it somewhat farther even than shown in 2,

Essentially, five pieces of wire and one stud or rivet are used.Referring to the numerals on the drawings, one piece of wire begins atthe point H which is bent into a small loop so as to avoid a sharp end,and thence extends downwardly to a bend i2, and upwardly again at 13,forming be-. tween the portions 5 l and it a large hook which Iii all

F he hooked into can be hooked into one of the belt straps of a pair oftrousers. From the portion the wire extends horizontally at it} for asubstantial distance, then is formed into a loop then extendshorizontally at in a crosswise direction, to another loop l'i similar tothe loop 65, thence extends horizontally at H; and parallel to the partit, to a depending po ion is, bend Eli, and terminal or end 2! formedinto a small loop similar to the portion ii. The portions Ill, 2d, and2! form a hook which is alon side of and spaced laterally from, andwhich is substantially a duplicate of the hook formed by the portionsll, l2, and i3, and this hook is likewise adapted to the belt loop of apair of trousers.

The second piece of wire is formed quite similarly, starting with asmall loop ill at the extreme end, thence extending to a bend similar tothe bend 32 previously described, from which extends a vertical portionand then a horizontal portion as, attached to a loop 35 from which thereis a short lateral horizontal portion then another loop anotherhorizontal portion 38 parallel to the portion then a vertical portion39, a bend all, and a small terminal loop all to avoid a sharp end. Asin the first piece of wire, the portions ill, 32, and 3.3, and theportions 39,, ill}, and A l each form hooks adapted to be hooked into abelt loop of a pair of trousers. The portions i4 and ill of the firstpiece of Wire are of equal length and parallel to each other, beingconnected to each other by the cross portion it, with its associatedloops to and ill, while the portions (it and as of the second piece ofwire are likewise of equal length and parallel to each other, and areconnected to each other by the cross portion 35 and associated loops and31.

The first and second pieces of wire are assembled in parallel relationto each. other in the manner shown especially in Figs. 2 and 4. The

loops -55 Ell of the second piece of wire extend.

partially around the portions i i and E8 of the first piece of wire andthese loops partially closed to a sufficient extent to prevent lateralescape of the wires iii and it from them. Similarly, the loops ill andll of the first piece of wire extend around the portions to and 33 ofthe second piece of wire and are partially closed to the extentindicated in Fig. 3, to prevent escape of. the wires from the loops. Thetwo pieces of wire may move freely relative to each other in alongitudinal direction, but are held against movement in any otherdirection relative to each other, except such slight movement as isallowed by the size of the loops 55, ii, 35, and 3t.

' what as toggle links.

The third and fourth pieces of wire are substantial duplicates of eachother, and are indicated by the numerals and 52 respectively. The piece5| has at one end of the loop 53 which engages loosely around the crossportion I6 of the first piece of wire, and the piece 52 has a similarloop 54 which engages loosely around the cross piece 36 of the secondpiece of wire. These third and fourth pieces 5| and 52 likewise haveloops at their other ends which engage loosely around a stud or rivet55, and this stud or rivet also extends through a loop 56 in the fifthpiece of wire which constitutes a hook 5'! of appropriate size to hookover a closet bar or the like, the hook 57 being approximately the samesize and shape as the customary hook provided on a coat hanger forhanging the same in the closet. The wire pieces 5i and 52 serve some-When an upward pull is produced on the hook 51 (or a downward pull onthe first and second wire pieces, which amounts to the same thing) theaction of the links 5! and 52 will tend to draw the cross pieces I6 and36 of the first and second wire pieces toward each other, and thus willtend to expand the hanger, thrusting the loops [2 and 20, away from theloops 32 and 40, to the maximum extent possible.

As is well known, mens trousers customarily have belt loops arrangedaround the waist band on the exterior, and it is also well known thattwo of these belt loops near the front of the trousers are usuallyalined substantially or approximately with the two creases at the frontof the legs of the trousers, while two other belt loops at the back ofthe waist band are usually approximately alined with the rear creases inthe trouser legs. In the use of the present invention, the two beltloops at the front of the trousers which are alined with the frontcreases are hooked over the two hooks at one end of the hanger, and thetwo belt loops at the rear of the trousers which are approximatelyalined with the rear creases, are hooked over the other two hooks at theother end of the hanger. Then,

when the hanger is supported by the supporting member or hook 51, theweight of the hanger and trousers, pulling on the links 5| and 52, willmove the first and second pieces of wire longitudinally relative to eachother in such a manner as to hold the waist band of the trousers taut ordistended from the front belt loop to the rear belt loop on eachindividual side of the trousers, the portion of the trousers between thetwo front belt loops hanging loosely between the two hooks over whichthese belt loops are engaged, and the portion of the trousers betweenthe two rear belt loops likewise hanging loosely between the two hooksover which these belt loops are engaged.

Fig. 5 shows a fragment of a pair of trousers engaged by the hanger. Oneside of the trousers is shown at 6! and the other side at 62, the firstside having a belt loop 63 engaged over the loop or hook [2 of thehanger, the other side of the trousers having a belt loop 64 engagedover the loop or hook 26 of the hanger.

This arrangement holds the waist band of the trousers in distendedposition, thus avoiding any creases or folds in the trousers except atthe proper points in approximate alinement with the intended creases inthe legs of the trousers. Moreover, the trousers are entirely in uprightposition, so that nothing drops out of the pockets. In the usualtrousers hanger, the trousers are either folded crosswise in the middleand hung over a bar, or are supported from clamping means engaging thecufis of the trousers, but in either event the pockets of the trousersare in inverted position and articles are likely to drop out of thepockets, and the hangers also form undesirable creases in the trousers.All of this is avoided by the present invention, which holds thetrousers in an extremely neat, satisfactory, and efiicient manner.

Many trousers are provided, in addition to or in place of belt loops,with suspender buttons either inside or outside the waist band, andfrequently certain of these buttons are approximately in alinement withthe creases of the trousers. It is noted that the hooks I2, 20, 32, and40, being relatively large and approximately v-shaped, are well adaptedto be hooked onto buttons if it is preferred to hang the trousers by thebuttons rather than by the belt loops. Also certain styles of womensskirts are provided with buttons at the waist band, and the presenthanger may be effectively used to support such skirts. The hooks extenddown sufficiently far so that, when hooked into either belt loops orbuttons, the top edge of the waistband itself will usually be below theparts 34 and 38, and will not interfere therewith.

The hanger may also be used, if desired, for a coat or other garment,the shoulders of which may be engaged over the distended ends of thehanger, and it is intended that this invention shall not be construed aslimited exclusively to the holding of trousers, although the mainusefulness of the present invention is in holding trousers and skirts.

The length of the wire pieces 5! and 52 is such that, when the hanger isnot in use, these pieces may be approximately alined with each other asseen in Fig. l, which collapses the hanger so that the loops 35 and 31lie very close to the parts it and I9, While the loops l5 and I1 lievery close to the parts 33 and 39. At this time, the supporting hook 51may be folded down into the spaces between the parts I4 and 18. Thus thehanger is extremely compact when not in use.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the above-mentionedobjects of the invention are admirably fulfilled. It is to be understoodthat the foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative exampleonly, rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing fromthe invention, the details may be varied within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment hanger including two pieces of wire each bent intoapproximately elongated U-shaped form with two approximately parallellegs connected to each other by a lateral connection at one end and eachleg having a hook at the other end, the two pieces of wire beingassembled in overlapping and telescopically sliding relation to eachother with the lateral connection of each piece slidably looped aroundthe legs of the other piece, a supporting hook having a. shank, twolinks, and a pivot pin, said shank and one end of each of said linksbeing looped around said pivot pin and thereby being pivotally connectedto each other for swinging movement relative to each other substantiallyonly in the approximate plane common to both of said links and saidhook, the other end of one link. being looped around the lateralconnection of one piece of wire and the other end of the second linkbeing looped around the lateral connection of the second piece of wire,said two pieces of wire being freely slidable longitudinally along eachother without restraint except by said two links.

2. A trousers hanger including two pieces of wire each bent intoapproximately elongated U-shaped form with two approximately parallellegs connected. to each other by a lateral connection at one end, eachleg having an approximately V-shaped hook at the other end with the freeend of the hook doubled back upon itself to provide a curved bluntterminal, the two pieces of wire being assembled in overlapping andtelescopically sliding relation to each other with the lateralconnection of each piece slidably looped around the legs of the otherpiece, pair of toggle links, each link being pivoted at one end to thelateral connection of one piece of wire by being looped around it. andbeing connected at the other end to a pivot pin by being looped aroundit, a supporting hook having a shank also 6 looped around said pivotpin, so that when said toggle links are held in upstanding position saidsipporting hook is confined to swing in substantially the same plane assaid toggle links and may not tilt substantially sideways from suchplane, said two pieces of wire being entirely free to slidelongitudinally on each other except as restrained by said toggle linksand being free of all other restraint against such longitudinal slidingmovement.

FRANK T. FRENCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,598,747 Scharles -c Sept '7,1926 1,922,858 Page Aug. 15, 1933

